


A House Divided

by Sanctioned_Chaos



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mob, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Broken Engagement, Broken Families, Broken Promises, Chan is Cheol's Adoptive Brother, Complicated Relationships, Dancer Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi, Everyone Needs A Hug, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Jeon Wonwoo Isn't Paid Enough For This Shit, Kim Mingyu Is Misguided But Trying, Kwon Soonyoung Is A Stripper For Fun, Kwon Soonyoung is Tired, Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi-centric, Lee Jihoon | Woozi has issues, Lee Seokmin | DK is a Good Friend, Like They're Together All The Time Yet Y'all Choose To Be Blind??, Love Triangles, M/M, Miscommunication, OR IS IT??, Past Relationship(s), Pining, Plot Twists, Queerplatonic Relationships, Sad with a Happy Ending, This Is Me Boosting Soongyu Bc Not Enough Ppl Appreciate It, Unbeta-ed, Weekly Updates, but man oh man are we gonna take the long way there, couldnt be me, past soonhoon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:28:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27448615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sanctioned_Chaos/pseuds/Sanctioned_Chaos
Summary: Choi Seungcheol, the charming face of a new but quickly rising smalltime gang, is set to marry Kwon Soonyoung, the only son of the Kwon Mafia's side-branch and cousin to the Seoul Drug Cartel's reigning King, Kwon Jiyong. Behind the scenes, there are secrets abounds and in this world, if you don't measure up, you get dragged all the way down.orSoonyoung hasn't been involved in the organized crime scene for a while, he knows that, hechosethat. But what in seventeen hells is Mingyu -sweet, compassionate, couldn't hurt a fly and clumsy as hell Kim Mingyu -doing running Seungcheol's mob? Where was Jihoon?
Relationships: Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Yoon Jeonghan, Kim Mingyu/Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi, Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi/Lee Jihoon | Woozi
Kudos: 18





	A House Divided

**Author's Note:**

> this idea has been sitting at the back of my head for years, YEARS, but i only just got the urge to actually flesh it out/write it and you can blame that entirely on SVT's AbemaTv episode
> 
> fuck if i know why but it gave me a new angle to approach this story from and it actually worked so here we are. probably the shortest chapter for anything i've written in a while but if i tried to conk out more it might've ruined the whole thing so i'll just say that chapters are likely to get longer as we go, anything less than 5k just feels weird

They always say business has no place amongst matters of the heart.

But Soonyoung’s mother taught him different.

Kwon Jeongmi swore by the creed that both could coexist together, and that it depended entirely on one’s own conviction. 

“Be selfish, Soonyoung. Be greedy. Take what you desire and have the strength to keep it. When it comes to those things, those people, who matter most to you in life; never settle. Never compromise.”

* * *

  
  


_Soonyoung watches the thin band of silver slip gently onto his finger, suppressing the slightest shiver at the feel of cool metal. It’s a simplistic ring, absent any engravings or accessories, save a small, white diamond at the center. Part of a matching set. Briefly, light glints off the crystalline surface of its accompanying other half where it rests on his fiance’s hand, softly brushing against his own._

_“It’s official, then.” The remark sounds off like a statement but Soonyoung’s known the other man long enough to recognize the slight tremble of what was intended to be a question._

_“It’s official.”_

_Seungcheol’s shoulders relax and a soundless breath leaves his mouth, brown eyes hidden momentarily behind fluttering eyelids. Soonyoung’s lips twitch upwards in a small smile and his grip around the older male’s fingers tighten once, before loosening again._

_Neither of them are dressed well-enough for the occasion and, if it had been anyone else, Soonyoung is certain his mother would rip him and his new fiance a new one for lacking the appropriate garments. He spies her twinkling eyes from a few meters behind Seungcheol and his gaze is met with a gentle grin and a nod, the aged woman leaving the quaint venue shortly thereafter. It’s another moment before Seungcheol notices her departure and his smile wavers as he tenses to follow. Soonyoung’s free hand comes up to rest against his cheek, effectively stopping him in his path, and forcing the two of them to look at one another. Brown irises swirl with a mix of panic and confusion._

_“You did well, Hyung. Really well, I promise. Eomma has to meet Appa for an important meeting soon, though, and that’s why she had to leave without saying goodbye.”_

_“Soonyoung-ah, are you sure? I feel like I was supposed to say something before she-”_

_“I’m sure.” Soonyoung reasserts, his tone leaving no room for apprehension. He shakes his head, removing his fingers from Seungcheol’s face to grab his other hand and hold their clasped fingers between them. “Besides, you’ll see her tonight. We’re having dinner at Noona’s to celebrate and you can make all the proper conversation, then.”_

_Seungcheol opens his mouth to contest him, just as another voice pipes up and bursts the duo’s bubble._

_“Hyuuung, are we invited too?” ,Mingyu whines off to the side, a grinning Seokmin to his left, and smirking Minghao at the right._

_Soonyoung rolls his eyes. “Yah, you really think Noona wouldn’t kill me for trying to kick you out? I swear she loves you more than she loves her own younger brother, Kim Mingyu.”_

_The trio of twenty year-olds answer with matching, triumphant grins and Soonyoung hears, more than he sees, Seungcheol’s breathless chuckle. Mingyu’s eyes drift to something behind Soonyoung and less than a second passes before he knows why. A set of lithe arms wrap around his waist, distinctly different from his fiance’s, and Soonyoung and Seungcheol smile at each other, having expected it. Chan’s nose buries itself into the space between Soonyoung’s shoulder blades and a cursory look reveals the eighteen year-old’s newly-dyed blonde locks._

_“Welcome to the family, Soonyoungie-hyung.”_

_“Well, I waited so long…” He trails off, tone entirely teasing._

_Seungcheol blusters in front of him, pouting adorably. If Soonyoung hadn’t spent so much time practically raising Chan, and therein developed an inherent favoritism, he’d say his adoptive brother almost had him beat on the cuteness scale. The eldest Choi sibling attempts a defense and finds himself interrupted for the second time that day._

_“It was only a few months ago that the two of you even heard about getting married, Soonyoung. Don’t be so quick to throw Seungcheol-hyung under the bus.”_

_Chan’s arms stiffen around his waist and Soonyoung closes his eyes for no longer than a second, pressing his face against Chan’s hair to collect himself. He’s lifting his head away from the younger boy soon enough, greeting the other male with a cracked grin._

_“Jihoonie, you came.” A quick glance at his fiance reveals Seungcheol’s face bright with surprised joy. Both Soonyoung and Chan relax the tiniest bit and Minghao, Mingyu, and Seokmin follow the shorter man’s trail as he approaches them. The door to the meeting hall closes behind Jeonghan and Jisoo as they bustle in, both men grinning equally-wide at Seungcheol as they make their way over._

_Jeonghan’s smile is perfect._

_Soonyoung wonders if it took practice._

_“Of course, I came.” Jihoon’s voice says curtly, drawing Soonyoung’s attention abruptly towards him._

_Jeonghan clears the air with an exasperated but fond addition. “What Jihoon means to say is: sorry, we’re late. We tried to make it back in time but there was construction on the road we took into the city and it held us up. Did we miss it?”_

_“Only by a few minutes but, really, it wasn’t necessary for all of you to come,” Seungcheol replies. “It’s a completely informal engagement ceremony, anyway, and it came pretty short notice that we were even having one. Soonyoung and I were just supposed to trade the rings whenever, but then Mrs. Kwon insisted she bring them herself.”_

_“They’re family heirlooms, Cheol. Of course she was going to bring them herself.” Jeonghan rolls his eyes. Soonyoung resists the urge to hold his breath- memorizing the planes of the other man’s face, trying to discern any changes. “Speaking of, where is Eommonie? I wanted to greet her, it’s been years since she last came to Seoul.”_

_Soonyoung shakes himself lightly, careful not to dislodge Chan, and answers. “Meeting with Appa but we’re having dinner tonight at Noona’s apartment and everyone’s invited, Jeonghan-hyung.”_

_Jeonghan’s eyes finally meet his own and the older man’s figure softens. He moves forward to bridge the gap between them and Soonyoung feels Chan’s arms slip from around him, to be replaced with Jeonghan’s own. The smell of lavender and the seabreeze fill his nostrils and Soonyoung wraps himself tightly around the twenty-two year-old after Seungcheol frees their interlocking hands._

_They were fine._

_Some unseen force loosens its grip around Soonyoung’s heart._

_“I missed you, Hyung.”_

_“Missed you too, Soonyoungie. So much.” Lean arms slacken just enough for Jeonghan to look at him without completely releasing. A tender smile meets his own. “Congratulations.” Jeonghan glances towards Seungcheol. “To the both of you.”_

_Jisoo ruffles Soonyoung’s hair, effectively stopping him from dwelling on what just happened, and locks his arm around Seungcheol’s shoulders. “Have you decided on a date yet?”_

_“June.” The affianced couple replies at once, as one._

_Jeonghan, to his great credit, doesn’t so much as flinch. Jihoon’s eyes, on the other hand, widen where he stands off to the side . Seungcheol still doesn’t notice and at least three of them here would prefer to keep it that way. Soonyoung has managed this long without the older man suspecting anything, he won’t help Jihoon jinx that just because he can’t control his expressions. Silently, he prays Jihoon will keep his mouth shut and refrain from commenting. Someone up there must like him because it’s Seokmin that ends up asking the obvious question instead._

_“So soon, Hyungs? It’s already March, though.”_

_“There’s no way the Kwons will greenlight a casual wedding, even if Soonyoung-hyung’s mom let you get away with an informal engagement. Don’t tell me you already started planning the ceremony without us!” Mingyu exclaims, posture straightening abruptly with his fervor, while Minghao gives them a suspicious stink eye._

_“It’s why Wonwoo and Junhui didn’t come, they’re talking it over with the Kwon wedding planners now,” Seungcheol begins._

_Soonyoung finishes where he left off, “Hopefully, they’ll be willing to compromise on the unnecessary displays of imagined prominence and we can have a more intimate setting. I told Wonwoo to insist on sunset at Jeju and Eomma told Kwannie they had business with him, when she gave us the rings. Seungkwan refused to face the hounds alone and dragged Hansol off with him.” The bitterness he’d barely managed to contain must not have been suppressed that successfully, because Jeonghan eases them both completely out of their loose embrace and frowns._

_“Soonyoungie?”_

_Seungcheol’s hand finds his own and squeezes once to offer comfort, their rings knocking against each other. Soonyoung takes a calming breath._

_“I’m marrying one of my best friends, Hyung. Not the King of England. We’re not even that rich, we're not the mainbranch, I don’t know why they insist on acting like it.”_

_He bites his tongue to avoid saying the rest._

We’re not that important, anyway. All they want to do is prove names mean something and that the Choi’s should be lucky we’re endorsing them. 

_“Besides, I’m only his second cousin, once removed. Jiyong-hyung and I haven’t even talked since he spontaneously appeared at my fifth birthday party. They’re just lucky he doesn’t know me well-enough to intercede on my behalf or I’d have already told them to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.”_

_Jihoon’s grimace hardens into a full-blown scowl and Soonyoung pointedly avoids his gaze to meet Seungcheol’s own. He spies Jeonghan briefly through his periphery, quietly considering his words, but focuses the greater portion of his attention towards his fiance._

_If he thinks any more about Jeonghan, he won’t be able to see this through._

_“I’m sorry, Hyung.”_

_Seungcheol’s expression immediately crumples in pity and Soonyoung finds himself with an armful of hard muscle tucked beneath a worn denim jacket and white tee._

_“Hey, hey, you’re okay. We’re okay, Soonyoung-ah. We decided, didn’t we? It doesn’t matter, I love you.”_

_“I love you too, Seungcheol-hyung.”_

_Soonyoung thinks of lavender and the seaside. Of someone 5’5 and currently scowling._

_It’s not the right kind of love._

_Not for both of them._

  
  


* * *

Years after the fact, Soonyoung works through his latest routine on the stage, brown eyes peering through the artful slits in expensive red lace. His body glistens with sweat through the thin layer of sheer, black fabric covering his torso but his hands around the pole don’t slip, sure in their grip and confident from ample practice. Hungry eyes watch him from below, first-time customers and seasoned regulars alike. There’s at least one group off to the corner outright gawking, midway through a bachelor party and financially-secure enough to have booked themselves seats in the club, just nowhere near prime viewing. The front table remains curiously empty but Soonyoung's getting paid whether or not tonight's richest patron shows their face, so he doesn't concern himself with the absence and focuses on his routine.

Soonyoung lifts himself off the ground, spinning gracefully through the air and upside down in a russian split. It gives the crowd a great view of his abs and legs and he can practically hear the bills being pulled out, picked up by passing waiters. 

The _Pleiades_ is an upscale joint, highly-recommended in all the right crowds, and far too expensive to allow viewers even the slightest chance at touching the merchandise. There’s a well-enforced general understanding that if you want to cop a feel, you have to drop a couple thousands first. Needless to say, not many are up to the task when the entrance fee alone costs several hundreds. Soonyoung only started working here a few months ago but their policy on customers making passes at performers had been what sealed the deal for him. Every dancer has the right to turn down a private dance and if anyone tries to touch without being expressly approached and allowed, during a routine, it's their ass out the door, immediately. The owner isn’t a particularly generous man but he values his performers enough to secure that much for them, at least.

He rights himself as the last few verses of his chosen song rings out, and brings a manicured finger up to tease his lips open. Soonyoung drags his free hand down the length of his front, avoiding his crotch entirely, and trails it along the inside of his exposed thigh, leaning his head back against the pole just as the singer ends with a soft moan. It’s silent for all of one moment before raucous clapping fills the dimly-lit audience seats and Soonyoung purposefully allows himself to breathe hard, chest rising and falling lasciviously, because he knows it only riles them up more. He shuts his eyes slowly, intimately aware of how closely he’s being watched, and eases himself away from the pole before opening them again. The waiter at the bar, a part-timer named Jongmin, has stopped cleaning the glass in his hands and it’s all the confirmation Soonyoung needs.

There’s definitely going to be a fat check waiting for him by the time his shift tonight ends. 

He has two more performances lined up, a group number and another solo, but Soonyoung has an hour before he has to worry about that. The twenty-six year-old bows to his rapt audience, smiling the same smile some of the girls call his ‘mankiller’ grin. He can feel the makeup on his face has gone tacky, having done its best to stay put during an otherwise exhaustive physical activity, and Soonyoung feels gross enough with sweat that he can’t wait to scrub it all off and take a hot shower, even if he has to reapply everything later. The heels though, those will be the first things to go. Admittedly, Soonyoung hadn’t broken them in enough yet to be performing his most demanding routine in them and, while they're a gorgeous crimson pair to match his lace eye mask, his feet demand they come off promptly.

Soonyoung lifts himself from his bow and manages to focus his thoughts back to his surroundings, just in time to lock eyes with the front table’s late arrival.

Kim Mingyu stares up at him in unadulterated shock, amazement, anger, and confusion, a small group of bodyguards flanking his sides. Seungcheol’s crest and the official mark of the Seoul Mafia peeks over the low collar of the younger man’s deep navy suit. As poorly-lit as the audience seats are, Mingyu has stepped near enough for the small, white diamond in the ring on his left hand to glint from the stage lights. 

Soonyoung’s own hands glean with a thin layer of sweat, bare of any adornments, silver or otherwise. He takes a step back, ankles protesting the tight grip of his heels, and runs.

* * *

Kwon Jeongmi taught her son that business and matters of the heart were perfectly capable of coexisting. It was never Soonyoung’s conviction that had been the problem.

Other men, however, aren't always up to the task. 

Business is a fickle beast and the heart infinitely more savage a thing.

Somewhere along the way, something gives.

**Author's Note:**

> well folks, have I got your attention? don't worry, it's not supposed to make perfect sense yet. we'll get there soon though, chapter 2 should explain a lot
> 
> working completely off of the vague ideas i have for this fic? it's gonna be a ride


End file.
